Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea)

From the abyss to the surface, from the coast to the high seas, IFREMER is the only French research institute entirely dedicated to knowledge of the ocean and ocean-related activities. The Institute was created in 1984 and is a Public Institution of Industrial and Commercial Nature, supervised by the government ministries responsible for research, the ocean, and the environment. The women and men of IFREMER are trailblazers, carrying on the tradition of French oceanography and advancing research frontiers with modern proficiency in deep-sea ocean exploration technologies, and with support from the French Oceanographic Fleet, operated by IFREMER, and its cutting-edge exploration vehicles. IFREMER also uses its scientific expertise to clarify maritime public policy and devise ocean-based solutions to help create a greener future.
Key figures in 2023: 1572 employees (of which 47% are women), 797 scientists, 137 PhD students, 24 locations worldwide, 260 M€ budget in operating costs and 3 M€ in investments.

Role in the Project

IFREMER contributes to the FAIR2Adapt project by leveraging its expertise in managing and exploiting large-scale geoscientific datasets. Building on its active participation in the Pangeo community, IFREMER develops tools and workflows to enable the efficient use of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data within the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). A key focus of IFREMER’s role is the RiOMar case study, which assesses coastal water quality and marine ecosystems under climate change scenarios. This study supports biodiversity conservation and the development of scientifically-based climate change adaptation (CCA) strategies. Using over 250 TB of data processed through the CROCO model, IFREMER transforms datasets into Analysis Ready Cloud Optimized (ARCO) data to create risk and vulnerability maps. These outputs facilitate decision-making for stakeholders such as oyster farmers and other coastal businesses impacted by climate change. IFREMER also provides training and technical support to FAIRify RiOMar data and tools, ensuring their accessibility for external stakeholders, including the French Biodiversity Office (OFB) and regional river agencies. By aligning with platforms like Pangeo@EOSC, JERICO-RI, and CoastPredict, IFREMER ensures that data and tools are interoperable, accessible, and reusable, advancing collaborative climate adaptation efforts.